NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR THE OUTDOORS-PERSON
By Bob Jensen

2003. It's here. The first of any year is when people at least try to change the way they do things. Outdoors-people can do lots of things differently to improve the outdoors and the outdoor experience. Most of us also have lots of ways we can improve ourselves personally, but those weird personal quirks that we have that should probably be changed are also the most fun. Let's work on making New Year's resolutions that can improve the outdoors and leave the resolutions for self-improvement for another year.

First of all, let's all try to be more courteous and efficient at the boat landing. Make sure your boat is ready to launch before you even pull into the ramp area. All the gear should be placed in the boat in the rigging area. Make sure the transom tie-downs and transom saver is detached before you pull into the ramp area. Doing so will make the day on the water much more pleasant for everyone involved. 
If someone at the boat ramp is having trouble, offer to help. That works better than losing your cool.

If you make a mess, clean it up. If someone before you made a mess and weren't clever enough to clean up after themselves, it would be nice if you did so. Some folks just can't get the hang of leaving a campsite or dock or fishing spot nicer than the way they found it. Maybe they will learn by example.

Challenge yourself to learn something new about the outdoors. That might be a new fishing technique, a different way to prepare a meal over a campfire, or maybe a new way of orienteering if you're a hunter, camper, or hiker. You will enjoy the outdoors experience more, and also become more proficient, if you make at least some of your outings a learning experience.

Make this the year that you introduce at least one new person to an outdoor experience. It can be a child or an adult, but try to instill a fondness for the outdoors in at least one new person in 2003.

Make more time for yourself to spend outdoors. Shoveling snow, raking leaves, and mowing the yard don't count. You can't expect more "outside time" to just happen; you have to plan it. The world we live in seems to be busier all the time. We all owe it to ourselves to do more of the things we want to do instead of the things we have to do. Plan "outside time" into your schedule and then make sure you adhere to that schedule. 

Make yourself more knowledgeable about outdoor issues. There are lots of things going on in the outdoors world that can help or hinder the future of fishing, hunting, and pretty much all other things outdoors related. Those of us who enjoy the outdoors need to be aware of the issues, then voice our opinions on those issues to the policy-makers.

For many folks, hunting, fishing, and all the other outdoor activities that are so abundant here in the Midwest are more than hobbies, they're lifestyles. We need to be more than participants in our favorite outdoor activities, we need to be ambassadors for that sport. If we adopt some of the just-mentioned ideas, we can make our outdoor interests stronger and insure their presence in the years to follow.